Widow's allowance
Verified 01 January 2023 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)
On the death of your spouse, you can receive a widow's allowance under certain conditions related in particular to your age and your resources. You want to know if you can benefit, when and how to apply, what is its amount,...? We'll give you the information you need.
The widow's allowance is a temporary sum that can be granted to the surviving spouse, on a means-tested basis.
Your spouse must have been insured under the old-age insurance scheme at least 3 months, whether continuous or not, in the year before death.
Age
You must have under 55.
FYI
if you are 55 years of age or older, you can request a survivor's pension.
Residence
You must reside in France.
However, there are exceptions. You can inquire with the Pension Insurance or the MSA: titleContent or the pension fund concerned.
Who shall I contact
- Pension insurance - 39 60
To inform you about your situation, ask a question about your file, access personal information (follow-up of the file, latest payments, etc.).
By telephone
39,60 (or 09 71 10 39 60 from a mobile, a box or the foreigner)
Free service + call price
Monday to Friday from 8 am to 5 pm
Family situation
You must be:
- widower
- and not living in a couple (remarriage, cohabitation, Civil partnerships)
Resources
Your resources for the 3 calendar months before your application must not exceed €2,662.6725, or €887.5575 per month.
Within 2 years of 1er day of the month of death.
If you apply within 12 months of death, you can receive the allowance from 1er the day of the month in which the death occurred.
If you apply for more than 12 months after death, you are entitled to the allowance from 1er day of the month of your request.
It's tied to the plan you're under.
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General social security scheme
Mutual Social Agricultural Organization (MSA)
You must send your request, as a priority, to the last place of work of your deceased spouse.
However, you can also send your application to another fund (for example, your home).
Starting point
The starting point for your allowance depends on the date you request it:
- At 1er the day of the month in which the death occurred if you apply within 12 months following death (and if the applicant fulfills the conditions for the award at the date of death),
- At 1er day of the month of your application if you make your application beyond 12 months after death.
Recurrence
The allowance is paid every month.
Amount
The net widow's allowance is €710.04 per month.
The amount can be reduced depending on your resources.
Cumulation of activity
In the case of paid training or re-employment, you can combine the income received with the widow's allowance within a certain limit and for a certain period of time.
You can inquire with the Pension Insurance or the pension fund concerned.
Who shall I contact
- Pension insurance - 39 60
To inform you about your situation, ask a question about your file, access personal information (follow-up of the file, latest payments, etc.).
By telephone
39,60 (or 09 71 10 39 60 from a mobile, a box or the foreigner)
Free service + call price
Monday to Friday from 8 am to 5 pm
Duration
You receive the widow's allowance:
- as long as you meet the conditions,
- up to 2 years (or up to 55 years if you were 50 years old at the time of your spouse's death).
Please note
you must inform your caisse of any change in situation (resources, family situation,...).
Who can help me?
Find who can answer your questions in your region
- Pension insurance - 39 60
To inform you about your situation, ask a question about your file, access personal information (follow-up of the file, latest payments, etc.).
By telephone
39,60 (or 09 71 10 39 60 from a mobile, a box or the foreigner)
Free service + call price
Monday to Friday from 8 am to 5 pm
- Social Security Code: Articles L356-1 to L356-5Definition and conditions
- Social Security Code: Articles D356-1 to D356-13Conditions relating to the deceased spouse (Article D356-1), conditions relating to the beneficiary (Articles D356-2 to D356-4), duration of payment (Article D356-5), effective date (Article D356-6), monthly amount (Article D356-7), claim (Articles D356-8 to D356-9)
- Labor Code: Articles L5141-3 to L5141-4Cumulation of activity (Article L5141-4)
- Circular Cnav n°2022-19 of 18 August 2022
- Instruction of 26 December 2018 on the revaluation of the widow's allowance, the former minimum old-age allowance and the minimum invalidity pension on 1 January 2019 (PDF - 39.3 KB)
- Annuities and capital paid in the event of deathService-Public.fr
- Pension for survivorsService-Public.fr
- Widow's allowanceNational old-age insurance fund
- My rights in the event of the death of a retired relativeNational old-age insurance fund
- Social Security Pension InsuranceNational old-age insurance fund